Work Life Balance Is Not About Having The Perfect Rota
Presented by WeldWerks Brewing Co
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By Ishwariya Rajamohan
The challenge with the concept of ‘work-life balance is that it implies our days have to be neatly divided into equal slots of eight hours for work, eight hours for sleep, and the rest for our personal lives. For most of us employed in hospitality, this is an unattainable ideal. We learn early on to temper our expectations of finding that balance, we know the industry is not going to change overnight. Or we give up that pursuit altogether when we assume work-life balance involves compromising our professional ambitions because we are not willing to do that.
Access to a good quality of life is never just about time, is it? There are people in regular 9-5 jobs who struggle to find fulfillment, living in messy homes and leading chaotic lives. Then there are people who grew up emotionally disconnected from their parents, even though as children, they spent a lot of time together. The bottom line is that a perfect schedule cannot guarantee a balanced life.
My belief is as a chef you can also aspire to enjoy balance in your life. First, you have to reframe what balance means to you.
When I ask chefs to share their challenges with work-life balance, many bring up issues that they are powerless to fix. For example, not having enough time to spend with their children. My suggestion to you is to first accept your time constraints, but also recognize how resourceful you can be. Rather than longing for more time with your loved ones, can you do what little you can to foster a closer connection with them? It can be as simple as being fully present with your children during the precious time you spend together: because the quality of that connection is everything. And of course, you will have to set some boundaries to protect that time.
Being intentional about how you handle the various aspects of your life gives you at least a perception of work-life balance. Then you are less likely to feel that your life is not your own. I do not mean to say that this is easy to do. It takes focus, will, and really learning how to manage your energy.
Remember that working as a chef has already equipped you with your most powerful resource in finding balance: learning to make the most of whatever you have. This goes for your personal time too. As long as you are willing to start where you are, do what you can, and use the time that you do have effectively, not only will you enjoy a more balanced life, but you can also expect to enjoy a sustainable career in this industry.
Established in 2015, WeldWerks Brewing Co. is an award-winning craft brewery located in Greeley, Colorado recognized for brewing an array of beer styles including Juicy Bits, one of the most highly regarded IPAs in the country. WeldWerks has garnered numerous medals and acclaim on the way, including being named the best new brewery in the country by USA Today in 2016 and multiple medals at both the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup. The brewery’s charitable arm, the WeldWerks Community Foundation, is a 501c3 nonprofit that supports local nonprofits through events like The WeldWerks Invitational.
Ishwariya Rajamohan founded Love Letters to Chefs in 2015 with a vision of a better quality of life for every chef. It has slowly evolved into an educational platform, offering workshops and 1-1 coaching for busy chefs and Hospitality professionals who want to enjoy a better work-life balance.
What she encountered during her experience in London kitchens as a pastry chef were the aspects of our culture that do us more harm than good.
Love Letters to Chefs is Ishwariya’s mission to find answers to the question that arose for her: “Does the cheflife have to be this way?”
Opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Best Served. To achieve our mission of bringing more voices to the table, we are committed to sharing a variety of viewpoints across the industry.
